The dominance of the Western Conference has never been more evident than in today's NBA game, as a cluster of stars now calls it their home. New York Knicks center Enes Kanter has noticed just how devoid of superstar talent the East is at this point, recently comparing it to AAU teams.
The Knicks big man recently said he felt like the Golden State Warriors “ruined the league,” forcing other teams to build their own superteams to stand a chance at dethroning them.
“East and West, look at the East,” Kanter told ESPN's Royce Young. “East is like AAU teams, and the West is like, the league.”
The East lost their biggest star in LeBron James this summer, after he bolted for the Los Angeles Lakers, committing to a four-year, $154 million deal. Yet the conference might have gained another star back in the form of Kawhi Leonard, who was traded to the Toronto Raptors after a year-long debacle in San Antonio.
Leonard's life as the best player in the Eastern Conference might be short-lived if he chooses to return to his hometown of Los Angeles after the end of the 2018-19 season.
While the disparity is now less-obvious with the best eight teams in each conference making the playoffs, regardless of their division — Eastern Conference teams are often mauled during their West Coast trips during the regular season, an issue that won't see a solution anytime soon with the plethora of superteams in the making in a loaded West.
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